1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a package assembly for adhesive materials.
2. Description of Related Art
Adhesive materials are conventionally stored in a storage tube or other similar device that includes a dispensing tip. Illustratively, U.S. Pat. No. 4,364,473 to Bogaert discloses an adhesive material stored in a tube. The storage tube may be constructed of an elastic or resilient material, such that the storage tube is squeezed to decrease the interior volume of the tube. When a user wants to apply a portion of the adhesive on a surface, the user positions the dispensing tip adjacent to or on the surface. The user then squeezes the tube to force a quantity of the adhesive material out. The adhesive flows out of the tube and onto the surface. However, there are various drawbacks to this arrangement, especially with applications of certain types of adhesives and applications of adhesives in certain environments.
Illustratively, it is difficult to apply adhesives with low viscosity using conventional devices. If the low viscosity adhesive is stored in a tube the user will squeeze the tube to dispense a quantity of the adhesive. However, it is difficult to squeeze the tube such that the correct amount of adhesive is dispensed. It is often the case that the tube is squeezed too much and a large quantity of the adhesive is dispensed. As a result, the adhesive may flow into areas to which the user did not intend to apply the adhesive. This results in possible damage to the surface as well as the necessity for the user to take away the excess adhesive. In turn, this also results in waste of the adhesive product.
An alternative approach to applying an adhesive is to initially apply the adhesive onto an applicator and then onto the surface. One example of this is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,333,737 to Clark. In such an approach, a user squeezes the tube, for example, containing the adhesive so as to apply a portion of the adhesive onto the applicator. The applicator is then moved into physical contact with the surface so that a portion of the adhesive is applied to the surface. However, with low viscosity adhesives, the adhesive may run off the applicator before it is adjacent the surface. This results in both waste of the adhesive and in possible harm, since excess adhesive may be deposited in an area where it is not wanted.
Further, a problem arises if the tube of adhesive is to be used more than once, as is common. If a user chooses to apply the adhesive directly from the tube onto the surface, and not to use an applicator, the dispensing tip may contact the surface upon which the adhesive is being applied. Over multiple uses, contaminants may be transferred from one surface to another surface. As is apparent, this is especially of concern with the application of adhesives in the medical field.
Further, there are other problems associated with conventional techniques with the application of adhesives in certain environments, such as environments in which the surface is difficult to reach or isolated. If a user wishes not to use an applicator, it is necessary for the dispensing tip of the tube to be adjacent to or on the surface. However, the tube may not easily fit within the spatial constraints in which the surface is located. As a result, the spatial constraints may limit applications using only the tube and force a user to use an applicator. This raises a further problem in that an appropriate applicator may not be conveniently available.
Accordingly, conventional devices fail to address the various drawbacks discussed above, as well as others. As described above, U.S. Pat. No. 4,364,473 to Bogaert discloses a tube containing an adhesive material. More specifically, Bogaert is directed to an arrangement for repairing a dental prosthesis including a package containing the tube of adhesive, bottles containing a monomer and a polymer and a support. Bogaert teaches using the tube to apply the adhesive directly on the prosthesis. This raises concerns of contamination as described above. Further, the tube of Bogaert would not be usable in some situations where there are spatial constraints and the tube could not be effectively maneuvered so as to apply the adhesive.
Accordingly, known devices do not effectively address the drawbacks described above, as well as others. Conventional devices fail to provide an applicator that is optimized for convenient dispensing and application of adhesive materials on a variety of surfaces and structures.
An object of the invention is to address the need for an easy to use and efficient package assembly for dispensing and applying an adhesive material, preferably a medical adhesive.
Also, the invention is directed to the application of monomer compositions and polymers formed therefrom, in industrial and home applications, for example in bonding rubbers, plastics, glass, metal, wood, composites, fabrics, and other natural and synthetic materials. Included among these adhesives are the 1,1-disubstituted ethylene monomers and polymers, including cyanoacrylates such as the xcex1-cyanoacrylates. Since the discovery of the adhesive properties of such monomers and polymers, they have found wide use due to the speed with which they cure, the strength of the resulting bond formed, and their relative ease of use. These characteristics have made the xcex1-cyanoacrylate adhesives the primary choice for numerous applications such as bonding plastics, rubbers, glass, metals, wood, and, more recently, biological tissues. The invention provides an easy and efficient approach to apply these adhesives.
In particular, the invention provides a package assembly or kit to hold and apply an adhesive material conveniently, inexpensively and effectively. The kit includes an enclosure which contains at least one container of adhesive material and at least one applicator. The applicator includes at least one absorbent portion for absorbing adhesive to be applied.
In embodiments of the invention, the enclosure includes separate compartments. A plurality of applicators are contained within the enclosure. In some embodiments, each of the applicators includes a shaft having two ends and an absorbent portion at one or each end of the shaft. The two absorbent portions may be differently configured for wiping and drying a surface to be treated, and for applying adhesive, respectively. Separate compartments are provided for holding at least one container and the applicators. A plurality of the applicators is held within one or more of the separate compartments. Further, in embodiments separate compartments holding the applicators may be separable from the enclosure.
In embodiments, the enclosure includes a base and a cover. The cover has a surface facing an interior of the enclosure when the enclosure is closed, with wells disposed on the surface. The wells are configured to hold an adhesive material dispensed from a container when the enclosure is open. The enclosure may include at least the same number of the wells as a number of the applicators.
In embodiments of the invention, the container includes an internal lumen, a closable opening, and a bottom portion. The container is configured to be self-supportable on the surface with the opening facing upwardly. A restrictor may extend into the internal lumen of the container and define the opening of the container. The bottom portion of the container and a suction cup are configured to be connected together. The suction cup holds the container to the surface. The opening of the container and an applicator are configured to allow at least an absorbent portion of the applicator to pass through the opening into the container and to compress the absorbent portion.
In embodiments of the invention, a container assembly includes at least one container, an adhesive material within the container, and at least one applicator removably connectable to the container. The applicator includes at least one absorbent portion. In some embodiments, the applicator and/or container includes an applicator retainer that removably retains the applicator. A preferred applicator includes a shaft having a first end and a second end and a through-passage extending from the first end to the second end. The adhesive material can be dispensed through the through-passage and applied to a surface to be treated.
In embodiments of this invention, the adhesive material can be sequentially sterilized -e.g., once before being placed in the container for the adhesive, after being placed in the container, and optionally after the container and adhesive are placed in an enclosurexe2x80x94in embodiments of the package assembly. In such embodiments, the adhesive material can be subjected to sequential sterilization procedures with substantially no polymerization of the adhesive material occurring.